Organic Food and Organic Music at Passover Moshav Fair

"The most beautiful thing is that our children want to come back here. It's a vote of confidence," says co-founder Rachel Trugman.

By Ben Bresky

First Publish: 4/4/2012, 2:44 AM

Ben Zion & Nachman Solomon

Photo credit: Ben Bresky

Thousands are expected at the 9th Moshav Country Fair will take place at Moshav Mevo Modiin. Concerts and festivities for adults and children will take place at the small community that was founded by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and his students in 1976.

A nature walk to the nearby caves of the Maccabees will take place. Activities for children will include juggling, magic, and art workshops. A women's tent will feature lectures by local teacher Leah Golomb and other educators.

Fresh grown organic produce and food will be sold next to books on Jewish spirituality and holistic medicine. Home-made arts and crafts will be available as well. The festival is held bi-annually on the holiday of Sukkot and Passover.

Israel National Radio covered last year's Passover concert and spoke with another co-founder of the community, Rabbi Avraham Trugman.

To download audio interviews with Rabbi Trugman and others at the Moshav Country Fair click here.

"There are about 50 families," Rabbi Trugman stated, describing the small farming community that pre-dates the nearby rapidly growing city of Modiin. "We are a spiritual community. There are a lot of artists, musicians and crafts-people," Rabbi Trugman said, commenting that the locals were excited to display their talents.

Rabbi Trugman and his wife Rachel are known for their outreach classes and Shabbat hospitality. He is the author of six books on such subjects as reincarnation, music, and dream interpretation, all within a Jewish context. His latest book is a commentary on the Torah entitled "The Orchard of Delights." Rabbi Trugman said the purpose of the book is "to make the Torah relevant to every person on the planet." He also has several music CDs of melodies he composed and will perform on stage at the festival.

His wife, Rachel Trugman, shares his passion for teaching and leads classes for women. She smiled when she described the Lag Baomer celebration she and her husband attended on the Moshav back when it was just an abandonded army base. That holiday picnic in 1976 was the beginning of the community for her and the other students of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.

"The most beautiful thing is that our children want to come back here to live," Mrs. Trugman stated. "I feel it is a vote of confidence in what we've done. We've hosted literally thousands of people in our home. The moshav in general has been a very welcoming place." Her hope is that the guests they've opened their home to during the year and during the festival will recreate that sense of hospitality to others.

Local musicians, of which the community is known for, and acts from around the country will perform. Shivat Tzion, a Jewish reggae, is one such act. The ever popular Chaim David, who has been on the scene for decades, will be on hand. Shtar, a Beit Shemesh based hip-hop group that incorporates a live backing band will play and well as another hip-hop act, Saadya, who will feature "Rap in Wording."

Two rock groups haMAKOR and Aryeh Naftali & the Elevators will perform, the latter of which also plays regular Grateful Dead tribute shows. Moshav co-founder Ben Zion Solomon will play. His sons went on to lead the popular groups the Moshav Band, Soulfarm and haMAKOR. Other acts will include Ruach Tsfonit, B'Almaa - Dvir & Friends, Reb Yankeleh, Elyon Shemesh & Shaul Judelman.

The Moshav Country Fair will take place Monday April 9th from 11:00 am - 10:00 pm.

Ben Bresky is the head of the music department for Arutz Sheva's English language news servce and the host of the Israel Beat Jewish Music Podcast. For downloadable archives click here.